I constantly struggle with about 15-20 extra lbs. I am able to get to my goal (and have) several times on Atkins, but I always ultimately end up gaining it back because for me, I don't think Atkins is sustainable for my whole life. I go through periods of time when I do well on low-carb and I think I can do it forever, but then one slip-up and I'm off the wagon. I am gaining back most of the weight I lost low-carbing before the holidays and I need to do SOMETHING. However, the idea of low-carbing/induction and eating nothing but meat, eggs, and salad (AGAIN), makes me want to puke. I don't really like a lot of the foods on a low carb diet. Sticking to a moderately reduced calorie diet of like 1200-1300 calories per day doesn't appeal to me either because I can never do it for very long. A girl's gotta eat. So, I have decided to give JUDDD a try for two weeks and if it doesn't work for me I will go back to Atkins, because it works, even though I hate it.

The main thing I am trying to wrap my head around is the Down Day. Is it REALLY possible to do it? I feel like on 500 calories/day I would get so hungry. Do you adjust to it within a couple weeks? Do wuper low-cal recipes like soups and veggies help get you through? And then, on up days, how do you stop yourself from eating 3000 calories? I'm just a bit skeptical because this diet seems faddish. However, I used to say the same thing about Atkins. Can you help me?

i say give it a try! What's the worst that can happen? I've been doing this just 1 month and am down 10lbs. It's been amazing to me how easy the dds really are. Hope you decide to try it and find you love it as much as I do!

Definitely give it a try. I was also really freaked out about the DDs. And the first few were a little hard, but yesterday, I didn't eat until almost 3 in the afternoon and wasn't hungry. Truly, it does get easier and for me to eat what I want (to the UD calorie limit) is AMAZING! I did LC for YEARS and to have a sandwich or fruit, or a doughnut, is awesome!

I hesitated to start because of your very concerns. I thought how will I get through a down day? Well one week into it, I started to fast for my down days. That's how easily it went. I have adjusted into it over the weeks and now the DDs don't bother me at all.

This is the weird thing for ME. If I eat, something kicks in and I start to feel hungry. I see that on my UD's too. But when I don't eat, that doesn't kick in and I do fine. I don't know if anyone else fasts on DD's, but that works for me as I don't initiate hunger by eating something. I think most people do eat though, so you do what works for you.

My first week on DD's, I drank lots of hot things- coffee, eat and broth. That seems to stop the hunger growls. I also drank lots of sparkling water with lemon. The bubbles filled my stomach. And then I ate lots of low calorie veges like celery and cabbage only when I felt hungry. I also took powdered glutamine to stop cravings. Now, like I said, I am fasting on DD's.

I have been a binge eater forever. A bit of sugar could send me to eating the house. Now, there are no binges on the up days at all. I can even keep chocolate and ice cream in the house and not touch it. When you know you can have things in a day, it is very emotionally freeing.

From years of depriving myself, my body was scared it was going to be forced to starve again, and it would crave everything because it worried about being starved soon. Now my body knows it is not going to be starved and that I can eat until satisfied every other day. My body is happy

This WOL is so do-able. It isn't for everyone, but no plan is. I just suggest you try it- give it a month and see how you do. Good luck!

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Good broth resurrects the dead. ~ South American Proverb

Already I feel better! You know, I never thought I could do low carb either, and then I shifted my thinking and saw a certain degree of success. I think I WILL give it a try. My first DD will be tomorrow, so I am not at work. We'll see how it goes.....

Already I feel better! You know, I never thought I could do low carb either, and then I shifted my thinking and saw a certain degree of success. I think I WILL give it a try. My first DD will be tomorrow, so I am not at work. We'll see how it goes.....

This is just my opinion, but I would make today an up day if you are starting DD tomorrow. Fueling yourself on an up day helps get you through a down day in my opinion. Sometimes people cut their calories on an up day and find the following DD more difficult. Starting off feeling fully fueled is an advantage. Keep us posted!

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Good broth resurrects the dead. ~ South American Proverb

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Started JUDDD 10/12/11 after LC.MAINTENANCE since 11/12/11, & have lost more weight. I shake things up all the time with my version of Pirate Jenny's MUDDD, my "Fast 5" & other IF. ...low-moderate fat....and eating "healthy" foods 75+% of the time which lets me have real life and indulgences too I've reached my goals, improved my health & appearance, and enjoy my lifetime woe!

Hey! I just came back to post what you just said, sungoddess! I am making today an Up Day. I want to start by making my up day calories around 2100 or so. Down days initially will be kept around 500. If I end up where I am fasting or eating less on down days, I will increase the calories on the up days even more. Starting on a down day seems a little like cheating, so I already like this diet. It reminds me of when I used to do chores for my parents as a kid. They'd give me a 20 minute break for each hour I worked. I asked once if I could start with my break...lol (its kind of like this)

Wilbur!
I can guarantee two things: 1) This is a WOE that will help you maintain as long as you care to, and 2) You will NOT believe how easy and enjoyable it will become.
Come back to these threads often and you will be able to find ALL the info and support you could possibly need!
Keep us posted!

Have you used the calculator to determine your UD/DD calories? I only ask because my UD calories are close to yours and I weigh 100 lbs. more. I want you to have every advantage in kickstarting this incredible WOE!

Have you used the calculator to determine your UD/DD calories? I only ask because my UD calories are close to yours and I weigh 100 lbs. more. I want you to have every advantage in kickstarting this incredible WOE!

Check out the sticky at the top of the page (calorie calculators). Your UD calories will be based on your age, weight and activity level. Most of us put in little to no activity, even if we exercise some because we actually want the calorie deficit to help with weight loss.

Or if you give those stats here, someone will run the numbers for you and help you out with it.

Welcome to JUDDD. I think you should plan to give it a month to see how it goes. 2 weeks is just about enough time to get the sirt-1 gene to kick in, so you might quit before it really gets going if you only give it 2 weeks. Some people start losing right away, but if you jump right in with carbs, you may actually gain at first as you put on a little water weight from the carbs before you start losing fat.

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Tina--wife to my dh for 24 years and mom to 4 great kids. JUDDD reboot to lose the nearly 20 pounds gained in the past 2 years.

I am 5'8. 25 years old. I weigh between 145-150, but my goal weight is between 125-130. I am more active than "sedentary", but I am less active than someone who exercises 3x/week.

I want to try my DD calories at 500 and my UD calories at 2100 to start because mentally these numbers appeal to me. Lower calories worry me. Maybe I will decide to lower them after awhile. Or, maybe I won't want to eat that much. Who knows?

Do you think I can lose on these levels, even if they are slightly high? I'd also like to add that I think I have sort of a fast metabolism. Okay, that's a weird thing for someone trying to lose weight to say, but the reason I think so is because I am NOT 300 lbs. Seriously. I'm heavier than I'd like to be, but I eat about 3000 calories per day when I am not dieting and I stay around 155 lbs as my "natural" weight. This might be due to the fact that I have a borderline hyperactive thyroid. My doctor won't prescribe meds because my labs aren't out of range, but they're on the very borderline. She recommends I get them checked yearly. I also have other hypo symptoms like anxiety and thinning hair. It's a barrel of fun!

I started with 500 calories in the form of shakes so I didn't have to worry about what to eat. After two weeks I dropped to my DD calories of 350. I guess I am used to it now because I don't really get hungry. I eat protein in the form of HB egg whites which helps.
I agree that 2 weeks is not long enough to try it out. I am on my second month and have lost 10 pounds and it is slow but I also could not face LC any longer. Just burned out I guess.

With your stats, according to the JUDDD calculator, your numbers would be 1786/357 for someone who exercises very little, or 2046/409 for someone who exercises 1-3 days per week.

Most of us use the lower number as it seems the higher number can be overly generous. You could start at the higher number and see how it works out for you given your higher metabolism. It's close to what you were thinking.

If it doesn't get the weight moving off, you can try lowering to the second set of numbers (and it's okay to keep DDs at 500 or so if you don't feel you can go lower) and give that a try for a couple of weeks.

I absolutely agree that 2 weeks is not enough time to really see if this will work for you. You may see great results right away, or they could take a couple of weeks to show up simply based on your body trying to adapt.

Whatever you decide, I wish you luck! This is a great group of people and a wonderful WOE!

I also think that I won't weigh myself every day because there's bound to be lots of fluctuations, right? I think I'll start with weighing once a week, after a down day, after using the potty! (Anything to stay motivated, right?)

I will be checking back often tomorrow to get through the first DD. I feel so scared to do it because I'm worried I'll fail. Mentally I know I can make it if I just toughen up. Once I get past the mental hurdle of a 500 calorie day, I think I will be able to commit to this for one month.

I also think that I won't weigh myself every day because there's bound to be lots of fluctuations, right? I think I'll start with weighing once a week, after a down day, after using the potty! (Anything to stay motivated, right?)

I will be checking back often tomorrow to get through the first DD. I feel so scared to do it because I'm worried I'll fail. Mentally I know I can make it if I just toughen up. Once I get past the mental hurdle of a 500 calorie day, I think I will be able to commit to this for one month.

Allow yourself a higher DD to start if you need it. Or at least in your mind, know that you have a couple hundred extra calories to play with if you need them. You can work your way down. Who knows, maybe you will do the 500 like a breeze, but it's always nice to know you can go over some if you need it.

Be sure to investigate the DD recipes, DD staples, the Cabbage recipe threads for ideas for tasty, filling DD foods.

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Started JUDDD 10/12/11 after LC.MAINTENANCE since 11/12/11, & have lost more weight. I shake things up all the time with my version of Pirate Jenny's MUDDD, my "Fast 5" & other IF. ...low-moderate fat....and eating "healthy" foods 75+% of the time which lets me have real life and indulgences too I've reached my goals, improved my health & appearance, and enjoy my lifetime woe!

Interesting question. I used to have IBS and a variety of foods wasted me (obscure puns, no additional charge). But since I started lc then moved over to JUDDD I seem to be able to eat almost anything. On JUDDD I am still mostly lc. I do eat potatoes or rice or bread some days, but not much. Not nearly as much as in the olden days. I wonder if starchy carbs were my problem?

Well, we certainly do not want Kitty upset!! The ruler of the household should always be serene.
Actually, we don't want you doubled over in agony either. Probably you need to sneak up on cabbage slowly or not at all.

Well, we certainly do not want Kitty upset!! The ruler of the household should always be serene.
Actually, we don't want you doubled over in agony either. Probably you need to sneak up on cabbage slowly or not at all.

Thanks! For my first DD tomorrow I have stocked up on Progresso Light Soups. One can has between 100-160 calories. My strategy going in is to wait as long as possible to have my first meal of the day and then to have soup, veggies, and light popsicles (15 cals each) as fall back treats. That, and a lot of water. Also, the idea that I just need to make it one day. I am not marrying anyone here.

Thanks! For my first DD tomorrow I have stocked up on Progresso Light Soups. One can has between 100-160 calories. My strategy going in is to wait as long as possible to have my first meal of the day and then to have soup, veggies, and light popsicles (15 cals each) as fall back treats. That, and a lot of water. Also, the idea that I just need to make it one day. I am not marrying anyone here.

You have the right idea. If I start thinking of things I want to eat on a DD and shouldn't, I just know I can have it tomorrow and that makes it okay. Waiting to eat until later in the day is a strategy that really helps me a lot. The first bites seem to trigger my hunger and it's hard to stop eating. Also, I don't mind if my DDs are boring. I tend to eat the same 3-4 meals and particular snacks. I also make a homemade veggie soup about once a week. Sometimes I put chicken in it, and sometimes beef. It's very low calorie and delicious. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

I have only been doing JUDDD for a little over two weeks but the DD days have been much easier than I anticipated!! The wonderful thing for me is that in two weeks I have seen much better results than straight low carb and I have been able to add some carbs back into my diet making me feel like I'm eating in a much more balanced fashion.